Napoli gets the chances, but Milan wins Italian get-together in the Champions League

AC Milan won the first match in the Italian match in the quarter-finals of the Champions League at home against Napoli 1-0.

The leader from Naples was the better team, but will have to work hard next week in the return. The only goal came just before the break from Ismaël Bennacer’s foot.

Napoli, where the injured attacker Victor Osimhen was missing, completely overwhelmed Milan in the initial phase and could have taken a 1-0 lead within a minute. A shot from close range by the Georgian taste maker Chvitsja Kvaratschelia was cleared off the line by Rade Krunic and Mário Rui shot high over in the rebound.

It was the start of a phase in which Napoli was lord and master and was given chance after chance. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan managed to tap a shot from André-Frank Zambo Anguissa over the crossbar with a clever reflex and a header from Giovanni Di Lorenzo went just wide.

And then less than five minutes had passed. Milan was completely ignored and saw Maignan save a seething shot from Piotr Zielinski and a second header from captain Di Lorenzo disappear into the roof of the goal. All within fifteen minutes.

Milan was dizzy, which surprised at the beginning of this month by beating Napoli 4-0 in the competition. A defeat that did not hurt Napoli much, as the team is a stone’s throw ahead in Serie A and has their first national title since 1990 up for grabs.

The home team tried to disrupt the Neapolitan machine with fouls and got its first serious chance after half an hour: Rafael Leão shot wide after a nice rush. Just before the break, Milan even took the lead.

Brahim Díaz steamed up and via Leão and again Díaz the ball ended up with Ismaël Bennacer, who drove the ball hard into the goal via keeper Alex Meret’s leg. Completely against the ratio, but Milan – with a possible semi-final against fellow townsman Inter in mind – was wrong about that.

With the lead in their pocket, Milan was also locked in their own half after the break, but Napoli was no longer as dangerous as before the break.

Striker Eljif Elmas had another great chance, but his effort went through Maignan and over the crossbar. The Neapolitans’ drive for action gradually diminished, especially after Anguissa had received his second yellow card fifteen minutes before the end and had to leave the field.

Still, Napoli had two great opportunities for the equalizer just before time. Magnain had a great save in store for a close range effort from Di Lorenzo and a shot from substitute Mathías Olivera went into the roof of the goal.